Trapped (in a Tent)
by weonlyliveoncesometimes
Summary: "Felicity, stop. Okay? As you keep pointing out we're trapped in a children's tent because an eight year old blackmailed us into playing hide and seek. Now is not the time to yell at me."
1. Part I

A/N: Welcome to what was supposed to be a little one-shot about Oliver and Felicity getting trapped in a tent that grew into a twenty-two-page monster. It was sort of amazing how quickly this grew when I began writing it.

In deference to the fact that I'm pretty sure you all might go cross-eyed if you read twenty-two-pages, I've split this into two parts.

So, this is Part I and, hopefully, you'll all understand the jumping in between.

So, please, enjoy and look out for Part II coming soon!

* * *

_**Trapped (in a Tent)**_

**PART I**

_**The Tent – 1:59 p.m.**_

They're trapped in a tent.

At a children's birthday party.

Seriously.

It's not even a proper tent.

It's a kid's tent.

A kid's tent that looks like a miniature circus tent with red and yellow stripes and a red flag on top.

Miniature's the word for it too.

It's like twenty hundred times smaller than an actual, adult sized camping tent and it's _not_ comfortable.

At all.

So, she's crammed into this children's tent with her knees pressed up to her chest because it's tiny and because she's crammed into this tiny children's tent with _Oliver._

Felicity doesn't even know how things like this happen to her.

She really, really doesn't.

* * *

_**The Foundry – 21 Days Ago**_

It actually begins with their next target.

So, Felicity knows a lot of things about…well, things.

She could write a book on all the useless things knows. Honestly, her brain collects useless snippets of information because maybe, just maybe, she'll one day actually need to know the names of Taylor Swift's cats.

Felicity doesn't know when that day will come.

She's sure her brain will let her know, though.

Anyway, the point is she knows a lot of things and the one thing she knows absolutely about the next target on the list?

"We're screwed."

Oliver, Diggle and Roy all stare at her when she makes the announcement and Felicity blinks back at them.

Only Roy looks vaguely perturbed by her random announcement.

Oliver and Diggle both nod simultaneously, giving her the impression that they'd arrived at this conclusion too.

She likes that.

It's almost like they're psychically linked now.

To be honest, they spend so much time down in the Foundry; Felicity thinks they'd be hard pressed to _not_ have some sort of psychic link.

"How are we screwed?" Roy asks, glancing between the three of them.

Oliver shrugs, pulling the sleeves of his sweater up to his elbows in quick, efficient tugs.

Felicity pretends to not notice the flex of his forearms as he does this.

She fails miserably.

"It's harder now because there's no obvious way to get to him." Oliver replies, folding his arms.

He then looks at her.

Felicity's still staring at his forearms and then blushes a little when she realizes they've all turned to look at her because Oliver is.

Diggle gives her this look.

The one that tells her he knows _exactly_ what she was doing.

Felicity gives him a dirty one back before turning to Roy.

Who, thankfully, still looks confused.

Idly, Felicity wonders how long it's going to take Roy to realize that when there's some sort of silence in the Arrow Circle, it's because she's staring at something.

Usually, she's staring at Oliver.

Anyway, Felicity decides to not draw it out, so she clears her throat a little and gestures towards her computers.

"He's not a big shot CEO working late at his office, anymore. Maybe five, six years ago Oliver could have done his 'grrr, I'm-a-scary-vigilante-with-a-sharp-arrow' thing because he was _always _at the office. Now," Felicity chooses to ignore Oliver's narrowed eyes at her impression of him. "Our let-me-help-you-with-your-money-by-taking-it-all CEO has given up long hours at the office for long hours as a Dad. We're screwed."

Oliver gives a sharp nod at her explanation. Roy still looks a little confused. Diggle looks thoughtful.

Felicity doesn't like this particular thoughtful look on Diggle's face.

It means he's _not_ going to say something profound or offer insight.

Nope, he's going to say something she may not like.

"You know, there could be a way to get close to him." Diggle says, looking between her and Oliver thoughtfully.

Felicity stares at him for a moment.

Then realizes exactly what he's implying.

'Cause, well, _seriously?_

* * *

_**The Tent – 2:11 p.m.**_

"You know, we wouldn't be hiding in this tent if Diggle hadn't opened his big mouth."

Felicity sates this fact petulantly, glaring at Oliver because Diggle's not here and, well; Oliver went along with his stupid idea.

Because that's what it was.

Stupid.

So stupid it's led to them hiding in a child's tent.

Oliver meets her gaze steadily, apparently unperturbed by the animosity in her gaze and the situation they're in.

"You could have said no, Felicity."

Felicity sticks her tongue out at Oliver's oh so logical point.

Because, well, he's right.

* * *

_**Starling Hotel, Starling City – 18 Days Ago**_

"I seriously can't believe we're doing this."

Felicity mutters this out of the corner her mouth to Oliver even as he slides his arm around her and pulls her into his side.

They're at a charity function.

Posing as a couple.

There are so many reasons what they're trying to do won't work. Most of them have to do with Felicity's brain to mouth filter malfunctioning at some point during the night and totally blowing their cover.

Or, actually, her brain might be fried because Oliver's _touching _her and she can't think straight when he's touching her.

Or, even, the fact that her dress is a little too long and Felicity's got this bad feeling she might trip over the burgundy hem at some point.

Or the fact that Oliver's wearing a tuxedo with suspenders and, oh dear Lord, Felicity had nearly swallowed her tongue when she'd seen the suspenders.

"We have to get to him in some way, Felicity. He's still conning people and we know he's doing it from inside his house. We need a way into his house." Oliver mutters and Felicity snorts a little at that. "Besides, you told me I wasn't allowed to go after someone with children present. He looks after his kids. Children are always going to be present."

"I hate that rule. I'm changing that rule. This is stupid."

Oliver stops walking to look down at her, obviously surprised by her vehemence and Felicity is grateful that his arm is still around her because she was _not _prepared for him to stop walking.

Given what she's said, though, she should have expected him to stop walking.

"What?" Oliver looks genuinely concerned about what she's just said and Felicity has to rewind to what she's said.

Oops.

Okay, so maybe she shouldn't have said that.

The situation is not so bad that she has to revise a rule that, generally, Oliver adheres to.

She's slightly overreacting.

"Nothing. Nothing. Sorry, no. I didn't mean that. About the rule, anyway." Felicity says hastily and then, when Oliver's brow smooth's out, she continues. "But this is still stupid. Like, really stupid. How many people here are really going to believe that we're a – "

"Oliver Queen?"

Felicity actually snaps her mouth shut with an audible click because their target is standing in front of them, his arm draped loosely around his wife's waist.

James Winter is a fit man in his forties who has been married to the same woman for twenty-one years, is the father of three and, for all intents and purposes, a successful business man.

A successful businessman who swindled quite a lot of people out of quite a lot of money in dodgy real estate deals.

So, really, in this case appearances are most definitely deceiving.

"Hello, James, isn't it?" Oliver slides effortlessly into his role of Oliver Queen and Felicity blinks.

Because it's really disconcerting when he does things like this.

She knows she should be used to it by now.

But she isn't.

So, the warning squeeze Oliver gives her waist is one that is totally unnecessary.

"Absolutely, it's great to meet you. This is my wife, Emily." James says, offering his hand to Oliver before turning to Felicity. "And this must be your girlfriend?"

Felicity stares at him

He's so _normal_ it's disconcerting.

When it appears she's not going to say anything, Oliver jumps in smoothly. "Yes, this is my girlfriend Felicity."

"It's great to meet you as well, Felicity." James smiles at her, his teeth shiny and Felicity blinks again.

Well, color her wrong.

Apparently, somebody does believe that she and Oliver are a couple.

Which is, frankly, amazing.

* * *

_**The Tent – 2:35 p.m.**_

"You know, if you're going to get into who's to blame for this," Oliver says thoughtfully, his arms draped over his bent knees, "then, really, it's James' fault. He bought the cover story of us as a couple."

Felicity whips her head around to stare at him.

"Seriously? Did you seriously just say that?" She hisses incredulously and Oliver raises his eyebrows.

Oliver shrugs. "Well, you seem determined to blame someone."

If both a miniscule tent and the fear of being discovered didn't constrict Felicity, there is a large chance she would have punched Oliver.

Not that it would do anything but hurt her hand.

But it definitely would have made her feel better inside.

She even has a chance to make a mark because in deference to the fact that they're at a casual affair, Oliver's wearing jeans and a black t-shirt that fits him really, really, _really_ well.

Felicity has noticed.

Not that she was admitting that.

She'd chosen to wear a pretty yellow sundress that's turned out to be the most impractical clothing choice she's ever made.

Because they're trapped in a tent.

That's not important, though.

What Oliver's just said is important.

"Yes, I am. And that blame firmly rests with you and Diggle." She says with a sniff and, you know, if Oliver had less self-control, Felicity is pretty sure that his mouth would have dropped open in indignation.

But because he has self-control, he just furrows his brow in confusion.

"How does the blame rest with me?" He asks indignantly.

"You said yes to the double date!"

Oliver glares at her.

"We needed to get into their _house_, Felicity. They weren't just going to invite us in to it after a five second conversation at a charity dinner!"

You know what?

Felicity hates it when Oliver's right.

She really, really, really hates it.

* * *

_**Olé Fuego, Tapas Bar – 13 Days Ago**_

Oliver's hand is on her thigh.

Oliver's _hand_ is on her _thigh_.

It's just resting there, just past her knee, a propriety gesture she's seen a hundred times and has never, ever been on the receiving end.

Until now.

Felicity seriously hadn't realized how distracting it was.

Then again, maybe other women don't find it distracting because the men that are touching them are a) their boyfriends and b) _not_ Oliver Queen.

Felicity can feel his calluses.

Seriously.

Oliver's hands are big and callused and clearly strong and there is something seriously wrong with her for finding the fact that he has strong hands really, really attractive right now.

But she can't concentrate on anything else, which is really, really bad because they're out on a double date to an upscale tapas bar with James and Emily Winter.

Who are, for all intents and purposes, a lovely couple that is well adjusted and clearly very happy with each other. Emily is a homemaker who's just gone back to work as a part time sales assistant and has a ready smile and exudes warmth. James is playing stay-at-home dad to their children and, from all appearances, is totally in love with his wife and a fair and moral man.

Who's last few dealing in real estate in the Glades had left three families without homes and one without a father.

Felicity doesn't much like him just because of that.

Still, she and Oliver are out on this date and she can't say anything because Oliver's touching her.

Which is going a long way in probably not convincing them that they're a healthy, well-adjusted couple that touches each other all the time, apparently.

If this was a test, Felicity feels like she failed before they even sat down.

Mostly because Oliver's touching her and they've had this interesting non-verbal agreement to not touch each other unless mortal danger is in the past, present or future for either of them or, well, she's high off Digg's aspirins.

And don't get her started on the emotional non-verbal agreement they have with each other that revolves around them _never_ acknowledging how they feel about each other.

Even if it is blatantly obvious to everyone that what she feels for Oliver is a hundred times _more_ than what she's ever felt for anyone else and can't simple be categorized as 'love'.

So, really, this is new territory for her.

Still, Felicity takes a deep breath and tries to concentrate on the conversation that, so far, Oliver has maintained with the couple.

Which is amazing because Oliver can be really bad at chit-chat.

As far as she knows, anyway.

Then again, the Oliver _she _knows is not the Oliver that everyone else knows.

"Felicity helped me with my computer and when I asked her if she could be my technology teacher, she missed the fact that I was flirting and recommended me to a website." Oliver says with a grin, snapping Felicity out of her Oliver's-touching-my-thigh stupor.

She stares at him.

Because, what?

"How long did it take you to bring her around?" Emily asks, apparently charmed by whatever tale Oliver's spinning.

"A month. I kept trying to be clever about seeing her until one day I just asked her to dinner and told her it was a date. Luckily, she said yes."

Felicity gapes at Oliver.

Because, well, that's actually a pretty good story of how they met. The entire story rings pretty much true to how they've presented themselves as a couple to James and Emily and Emily looks a little starry eyed.

How is it, Felicity wonders, that Oliver's suddenly become a good liar?

This story is _so_ much better than 'I spilled a latte on it.'

"That's so sweet. Were you surprised when he asked you, Felicity?" Emily asks with a sigh.

Felicity doesn't know how to answer that.

So, she goes with the truth.

"Very surprised. I hadn't seen it coming, honestly. Hadn't seen it coming, at all." Felicity says and Oliver squeezes her thigh.

Emily and James seem to be buying their story and Felicity smiles.

They really don't need to know that Felicity's actually surprised by Oliver's sudden ability to lie.

Not by anything else.

* * *

_**The Tent – 2:46 p.m. **_

"You know what? This all started going south when you started touching me."

Felicity shifts as she says this, trying to find a more comfortable position than half-leaning away from Oliver with her knees pinned to her chest.

But you know what?

There is _no_ room in the tent for her to shift into a more comfortable position.

Not if she wants to be pressed up against Oliver.

Which she doesn't.

Sort of.

"This whole thing started going south when _you_ decided it wasn't going to work." Oliver snaps back. "If you'd just said _something _about you not being comfortable about this, then we wouldn't be in this situation!"

Felicity stares at him.

Did he seriously just say that?

"Did you seriously just say that?"

Oliver rolls his eyes.

Felicity feels like he probably did just say that.

Great.

Now, she's trapped in a children's tent with Oliver and they're arguing.

This is _exactly_ how this was supposed to go.

Not.

* * *

_**The Foundry – 7 Days Ago**_

"I still don't get why we can't just break in to his house when they're not there."

Roy voices this thought at their weekly Arrow Round Table Meeting and Felicity wants to cheer him on for pointing out what should have been obvious, like, two weeks ago.

Unfortunately, Oliver's is standing beside her.

Touching her shoulder.

And she's not one hundred percent mentally there because Oliver's touching her.

His hand is holding the back of the chair she's sitting on and, really, it's only his knuckles that are touching her but still.

Felicity is hyperaware of him touching her.

So, no cheering.

"Because we've got no idea if there's anything in his house or the layout." Oliver replies calmly. "Even if we broke in, we'd need to time to go through his home office and the rest of the house. There are too many variables with them returning early to them not going anywhere at all for us to make that call."

Diggle pipes up. "Besides, they're in a neighborhood where everybody looks after each others property. If we did break in and they were away, the chance is that someone would notice and call it in."

Roy looks like he's absorbing this information and filing it away for later, to examine or use when he needs it the most.

Felicity is still only half listening.

Right up until Roy snorts. "So, we're going to leave it to Mr. and Mrs. Unresolved-Sexual-Tension to find the evidence? _That's_ a better plan?"

Felicity stiffens and Oliver seems to growl at Roy's words.

It's not like their plan hasn't been working. If anything, it seems to be working too well. Felicity's been on more coffee dates and shopping trips with Emily Winter in the last few days than she's ever been on before. Oliver seems to have played more poker and golf than he ever wanted too with James and, the four of them have been on two more double dates since meeting.

Felicity counted.

So, Roy's derisive comment is _not_ appreciated.

Apparently, Diggle senses that Roy maybe shouldn't have said that and steps in.

"We just need to get a look at his house, Harper. Seeing as you don't have any brilliant ideas, this is how we're doing it." Diggle's look as he says this is pretty much along the lines of 'shut-up-Roy.'

Felicity is pleased to see Roy withdraw into himself slightly at the look.

"It's only for another week or so. James was hinting at inviting us to his sons eighth birthday party." Oliver says and Felicity nearly jumps as he flexes his hand. "It's at their house and it'll give us time to get to the layout, Felicity can look at his computer and then we'll know where to go from there."

Felicity's nodding along to this right up until she has a thought.

A very important thought.

One that she should have thought of beforehand.

Spinning in her chair to look at Oliver, Felicity is pleased to discover that he's stopped touching her.

Except now he's looking at her.

And that's just as bad.

Still, she ploughs ahead. "Does that mean we have to buy his son a present? 'Cause it's his eighth birthday party and he'll expect a present. _I_ would expect a present."

Oliver's lip tick upwards a little at her question and you know what? Felicity's stomach does this funny swoop thing.

Because his partial smile is really quite sexy.

Felicity quite likes it.

"If you want, Felicity." Oliver says gently, holding her gaze warmly.

Felicity fees heat beginning to creep up on her cheeks because, well, between the touching and the smiling and the looking and the pretending to be a couple?

Of course, she's going to start blushing.

"_This_ is what I'm talking about!"

Roy's exclamation followed by a very loud grunt, has Felicity looking away from Oliver and over to Roy.

Who's standing at a funny angle and clutching his side, Diggle looks entirely unperturbed by Roy's actions even though Felicity's got a feeling that the reason Roy's clutching his side has everything to do with Diggle.

Before she can ask what happened or Oliver can bark at Roy, Diggle speaks. "Just get into the house, you two. Alright?"

Felicity nods.

Then jumps a little because Oliver's hand has come to grip the back of her seat again and so when she leans back…

…Oliver is touching her again.

* * *

A/N: I hope you enjoyed! Part II is coming soon!


	2. Part II

A/N: Part II is up!

Yay! That's both exciting and a little disappointing. This was a lot of fun to write and I'm actually just really amused by Oliver and Felicity in this. For no apparent reason. I'm also in denial about whats happening to them on the show so my guess is I'm going to go back to Leather Pants and continue being in denial while writing that. (Because, seriously, love triangle? If I wanted a love triangle, I would watch Vampire Diaries. I know there's more but I hate love triangles. With a passion.)

So, anyway, enjoy this! Hopefully, I'll have something else up soon!

* * *

_**Trapped (in a Tent)**_

**PART II**

**_The Tent – 2:57 p.m._**

"We should have just listened to Ro – hmph."

Oliver claps a hand over her mouth and glares at her. Felicity glares back because she doesn't understand why Oliver has chosen to silence her this way.

Right up until she hears two children speaking.

"I don't think they're in here. This is the _toy_ room. Big people don't hide in the _toy _room."

A heavy sigh follows the distinctly female directive. "Fine. They're not in here. Do you think they went to hide in the bedroom?"

"Probably. Let's go and check."

Felicity reaches up to grasp Oliver's hand as they hear the two children leave the room and yanks it away from her mouth.

So, okay, he probably did the right thing then.

They weren't ready to be discovered just yet.

Still, did he _have_ to shut her mouth like that?

Before Felicity can comment upon Oliver's method of shutting her up, she turns her head a little and freezes.

Because in order for Oliver to clamp his hand over her mouth, he'd had to move. Closer to her. So close, the length of his body is pressed against hers and Felicity can feel the heat coming from him.

She feels weak and heated all at the same time and, because they're trapped in a tent, there's nowhere for her to move.

Not unless she wants to be pressed up against Oliver even more.

Which she doesn't.

Maybe.

"Why are you so mad, Felicity?"

Oliver asks the question quietly after a moment, apparently curious as to why she's reacting to this whole thing in a way that is very much unlike her.

Felicity stares at him.

Because, well, seriously?

Taking a deep breath, Felicity decides to state the obvious.

Because Oliver's clearly being obtuse and he doesn't get it.

"Oliver, you _kissed_ me."

"So?"

Felicity gapes.

_Not_ the response she was expecting.

* * *

**_The Winter Home – 11:15 p.m._**

"Hi guys! Welcome to our home."

Emily opens the door to her house with a wide smile and Felicity feels like she's completely failing at life when all she can muster is a weird-ish smile because Oliver's arm is wrapped around her waist.

And she's pressed against his body.

"Hello, Emily. Thanks for inviting us." Oliver says smoothly, guiding Felicity into the house and leaning down to press a kiss to Emily's cheek.

Felicity musters a halfhearted hello and is rewarded with a hug.

"Come in, come in." Emily gestures with her hand and grins at them. "We're so glad you could make it, everyone's out the back with the kids, so please go and join them and enjoy yourselves."

Oliver smiles at Emily again and is then steering Felicity out the back. As he does this, he leans down. "If everyone's out the back, we have a chance of searching the house for his office."

Felicity stares at him.

"Or we could just ask for a tour? We just need to know where his office is, Oliver. So I sneak in later and go through his computer." Felicity says with a roll of her eyes, "asking for a tour is a lot easier than sneaking around."

Oliver raises an eyebrow at her and Felicity makes a point of sticking her tongue out at his expression.

She knows it's juvenile.

She knows it's not a polite thing to do.

But still, when Oliver gives her that look, Felicity feels like he deserves to have her tongue stick out at him.

Oliver appears to be opening his mouth to reply when he's interrupted by James' jovial shout.

Felicity thanks the lord for that because she's not sure what Oliver was going to say

"Oliver, Felicity, hello! Great of you to come!"

* * *

**_James Winter's House – 1:35 p.m._**

It occurs to Felicity, close to an hour and a half later, that Oliver's plan might be the one they're going to have go with.

Emily and James seemed to determined to keep people out of their house and Felicity doesn't buy the whole 'we're redecorating' explanation.

Apparently, neither does Oliver.

Who, as the everyone gathers around to sing happy birthday to their son, Toby, and are sufficiently distracted, he grabs Felicity's hand and tugs her gently into the house.

"We need to find his office. They're hiding something." Oliver says, glancing around and Felicity nods.

"We need to be quick, though. They'll notice we've gone missing at some point." She points out and Oliver gives a sharp nod before heading towards the stairs.

He doesn't let go of her hand, either.

Felicity is trying really hard to pretend she hasn't noticed this.

But, try as she might, she's not doing a very good job.

In any case, it doesn't take Oliver long to locate James' office and Felicity takes one look at his computer and rolls her eyes.

"You do realize this could be harder, right? Why does everyone think that just because their computer is password protected, it's impenetrable? I don't get it." She says, leaning over and making short work of the password. "Seriously. People who want to hide something really need to wise up about this sort of thing."

"Felicity." Oliver mutters it warningly, even as he peruses the bookcase sitting off to one side of the office.

Not that it's a bookcase-_bookcase_.

It's actually just one of those Ikea cube things that you can fill with books.

She stops talking long enough to implement the backdoor into James' computer that she needs.

They don't have any time to go through it now and Felicity would much rather run through his computer in the comfort of the foundry on her own computer.

"All done. _What_ are you doing?" Felicity puts the computer to sleep and glances over at Oliver.

Who's flipping through the pages of what looks like a volume of Shakespeare and, considering that Felicity _knows_ he never studied Shakespeare, she's a little bit concerned.

Oliver doesn't say anything for a minute, apparently concentrating on whatever it is that has caught his attention right up until he unearths a USB flash drive.

Snapping the book shut, Oliver replaces it carefully and then walks over to Felicity, slipping the USB into his pocket.

"I had a feeling he'd have back up, somewhere." Oliver says by way of explanation and Felicity feels like he's explaining because she's gaping at him.

"You just had a _feeling_? Seriously? Just a feeling? Why didn't you tell me about this feeling?" Felicity snaps at him because, okay, so it didn't take her long to open the backdoor to James' computer but still, she would have liked to know that Oliver was going to look for a _back-up_.

Before Oliver can reply, he stiffens and Felicity figures that he's heard something.

He has ears like a bat.

Before she can ask him what he's doing, he grabs her hand and tugs her out of the James's office; carefully pulling the door partially closed the way they found it.

Turning to her, Felicity's has all of thirty seconds to react when he frames her face with his hands and kisses her.

And…_oh_.

It's really nice.

One of her hands rises to grip his wrist and Felicity returns the pressure of his lips, melting a little because if Oliver touching her means she can't _think_ then Oliver _kissing_ her means that her ability to think has been blown up with dynamite.

"What are you doing?"

Felicity jerks away from Oliver as if she's been burned.

Turning, she finds a group of children, all varying ages, staring at them in curiosity.

Including James and Emily's newly turned eight year old

Who is staring at them curiously and with a touch of suspicion.

The rest of them, well, Felicity feels like she's just defiled a group of children.

And you know what?

She's kind of mad at the interruption.

These children have totally just interrupted her first kiss with Oliver.

A kiss that has her forgetting how to think and, possibly, talk and you know what? She's gaping at them.

Oliver, on the other hand, looks completely unruffled by this interruption and Felicity realizes she's still holding his wrist when he reaches down to pry her hand off it.

"Well – " Oliver starts and the son interrupts him almost immediately.

It's kind of rude, actually.

"Were you in my Dad's office? Because we're not allowed to go into Dad's office. He gets really mad when we do and if we're not allowed to go into it then _you_ are not allowed to go into it." The son, Felicity remembers his name is Toby, folds his arm and the only word to describe his facial expression is obstinate even as he opens his mouth to announce, "I'm going to tell Dad!"

Oliver reacts before Felicity has a chance too.

"We were playing hide and seek. That's why were up here."

Felicity stares at Oliver.

Really? Hide and seek? That's the best he can come up with.

Why is she surprised though?

He _is_ Mr. I-Spilled-a-Latte-on-it.

Fortunately, the group of children they've just traumatized buy Oliver's lie.

Oh, yes, they buy it enough for Toby to grin. "Okay! I'll count, you guys hide. _Including_ you

two."

Felicity stares at Toby. "Do you mean us?"

The kid has the nerve, the _actual nerve_, to roll his eyes at her question.

This child who potentially could unravel what they're trying to do, the child who interrupted the dynamite kiss, the child who's decided that they have to play hide and seek too rolls his eyes in a great impression of a teenager.

Felicity doesn't really like this child at the moment.

"No, duh. Go hide. Or I'll tell my Dad you were in his office."

Toby gives this directive and then promptly closes his eyes and starts to count. The remaining groups of children squeal a little as they take off.

Felicity looks at Oliver because, well, they're not _really_ going to go and hide are they?

Oliver's jaw is set and Felicity doesn't like the look of this.

She has a feeling Oliver doesn't want James to know they were in his office. Which Toby is clearly aware of.

"Oh, no, Oliver. I am _no_ – " Felicity starts because, okay, she doesn't want to go and play hide and seek.

At all.

They've got the flash drive, Oliver's kissed her and they need to go.

Like, they needed to go _yesterday_.

Oliver doesn't agree, apparently, because he interrupts her by grabbing her hand.

"Let's go hide."

* * *

**_The Tent – 3:04 p.m._**

Felicity is still gaping at Oliver.

"Oliver, _why_ did you kiss me? You had a lie all ready to go when we were caught!" Felicity snaps at him and Oliver rubs a hand over his face. "You were also the one who chose to hide in this stupid tent and pull me in with you. So, this whole thing really _is_ your fault."

Oliver glares at her, a little more ferociously then usual.

It's nowhere near his I'm-a-scary-vigilante-glare but it's the most vicious glare that Felicity's received and she blinks at him.

"Felicity, stop. Okay? As you keep pointing out we're trapped in a children's tent because an _eight year old_ blackmailed us into playing hide and seek. Now is _not_ the time to yell at me." Oliver snaps at her, frustration lacing his tone.

Felicity glares.

"Well, when _is_ the time to yell at you? Because, like it or not Oliver, you've got us trapped in a children's tent and I am _not_ happy."

"Because you've been _so_ happy since we began this. Felicity, you've made _me_ seem joyful."

"Well, why wouldn't you be? This whole thing has gone according to plan, right? And you haven't even have had to fight anyone! It's been a nice, easy run for you!"

"Because there was no one to fight! This could have been a lot easier if James hadn't turned all family man!" Oliver snaps back. "For the record, too, this whole thing hasn't been _easy_ for me! Do you know what it's like to have you this close, all the time?"

Wait, what?

Felicity stares at Oliver because _that_ was the last thing she expected him to say.

It also, marginally, makes her feel a little better about this whole couple charade they've had going on.

Only marginally, though.

"What does that even mean, Oliver? You're the one that's been making sure my brain can't function with all the touching that's been going on!" Felicity demands, incredulity lacing her tone.

They really shouldn't be fighting.

But Felicity can't help it.

She's frustrated and in a tent and Oliver's acting weird now and this is not fun, okay? This is not fun, _at all_.

Oliver huffs out a breath even as the silence between them reigns a longer than Felicity expected and, before she can come out with another brilliant argument, Oliver mutters something that sounds a lot like, "screw it."

Felicity has no idea what that means.

Right up until Oliver grasps her hand, tugs her forward so she tumbles against him and he kisses her.

Again.

Dynamite detonates in her brain at the hard pressure of his mouth and Felicity can't do anything except try and get closer to Oliver.

She yanks her hand from his grasp before sliding her arms around his neck and scrambling sideways into Oliver's lap so she can press against his chest. One of Oliver's arms slide around her waist to hold her tightly while his other hand rises to slide into her hair, fisting there as he controls the kiss.

Oh, dear God is he a good kisser.

Felicity pulls away to draw in a breath only to have Oliver pull her back and change the angle of the kiss, his tongue sliding into her mouth as his hand releases her hair and grows restless.

Felicity's drowning in the sensation of Oliver kissing her and the way his hands are stroking over her body, pausing when he finds bare skin before seeking more.

Felicity's so caught up in Oliver that she misses the sound of a door opening and she forgets that they're in a miniscule tent that isn't made for adults.

Especially adults who are making out like teenagers.

Which is why, when Felicity slides her leg over Oliver's lap, to straddle him properly, he leans back and the whole tent goes over.

With them inside.

Pulling away from Oliver, Felicity stares down at him, shocked by suddenly being completely vertical.

Oliver stares up at her, his eyes incredibly dark and Felicity leans down to kiss him again when she feels his hands slide down to stroke the backs of her thighs.

She would have kept kissing him too, if, as she leans down, a truly disgusted voice hadn't asked incredulously.

"Gross. Are you guys having _sex_?"

_That_ pretty much ruins the moment.

* * *

**_The Foundry – 4:45 p.m._**

Roy's still laughing.

After she and Oliver had escaped that God forsaken tent and had assured an absolutely disgusted Toby that they were not, in face, having sex, they'd made their excuses to James and Emily and left the party as quickly as they could.

Which had been a mortifying experience in and of itself because Emily had been very concerned about her and how flushed she'd been.

In no way was Felicity going to tell Emily that the reason she was flushed was because she'd been making out with Oliver in a tent.

Emily's concern had helped, though, because it made their story of Felicity suddenly feeling unwell that much more plausible.

James had regarded them with slight suspicion but before he could ask anything, Oliver had shaken his hand and rushed her out of the house.

Where she'd then endured an excruciatingly long and awkward car ride back to the foundry.

Felicity genuinely had no idea what she was supposed to say the entire drive because the only planned thing that had happened that afternoon was getting into James's office.

The rest they'd improvised and, when she'd looked in the mirror in the car, she'd been mortified to discover that she looked thoroughly kissed.

No wonder Emily had been concerned.

Their return to the foundry hadn't made her feel any better, either. Diggle had taken one look at the two of them and raised his eyebrows while Roy had looked between the two of them and demanded to know what had happened.

Oliver had replied rather tersely that they'd managed to get the information they'd needed.

He'd then stalked off to change into his work out gear, leaving Felicity to handle the questioning gazes of Diggle and Roy.

Which, really, was a terrible decision.

Because she'd pretty much blurted out the entire story and now Diggle was chuckling and Roy was holding a table to keep himself upright.

"It's not that funny, Roy." Felicity snaps at him and Roy snorts.

"Are you kidding? It's hilarious. You guys got blackmailed by an eight year old who thought you were having sex in a kid's tent. This is comedy gold." Roy informs her between snorts of laughter.

Felicity can't help but continue to glare at Roy.

It's really not funny.

She feels itchy with the knowledge that she and Oliver only managed to scratch the surface of what they could be together and humiliated because Oliver seems to not be able to look at her and a million other things that she can't think of right now because Roy won't stop laughing.

Felicity's opening her mouth to unleash this all on Roy when Diggle claps the boy on his shoulder and say, "come on Roy, lets go and get something to eat. Felicity needs time to get through the USB and Winter's computer."

Roy looks like he wants to argue.

Right up until he winces a little as Diggle squeezes his shoulder none to gently.

Thank God for Diggle.

"Fine. Fine. What – ow!"

Diggle appears to squeeze Roy's shoulder again and Felicity has to say, she's impressed by the way Digg manages to steer Roy out of the foundry in less than five minutes.

Leaving her alone with Oliver.

Who is nearly to the top of the salmon ladder again.

That means he's done like, three sets already.

Which means he's _really_ frustrated.

Felicity stares at Oliver and suddenly realizes that the bare chest that's glistening as his muscles work is the same one she was pressed against less than two hours ago.

For some reason, that thought makes her go bright red.

Because, well, she hadn't blushed over anything else today, so clearly she was reserving it for Oliver's naked chest.

Which is just bizarre.

Felicity's still staring at Oliver when he drops from the salmon ladder and, possibly, goes even redder when he quirks an eyebrow at her.

Felicity stiffens, a lot, when Oliver walks over to her.

For some bizarre reason, it makes her hand go up to her hair and Felicity realizes her hair is still in the half undone tail Oliver had mussed.

While kissing her.

Not wanting to think too hard about that, Felicity reaches up and yanks the band out of her hair and pushes her hand through it as her hair falls messily around her shoulders.

Oliver's gaze sharpens as he watches her do this and Felicity feels her stomach quiver at the look in his eye.

"Where did Diggle and Roy go?" He asks and she swallows hard because Oliver's still looking at her like that.

"To get some food."

Oliver nods once. "How long do you think they'll be gone for?"

Felicity shrugs. "I don't know. However long they're usually gone?"

Oliver nods again and looks away from her briefly.

He looks like he's concentrating very hard on the wall and Felicity actually starts to fidget as the silence drags on.

Right up until Oliver looks back at her and speaks.

"Do you want to get out of here?"

The question stumps her.

Mostly because she hadn't expected Oliver to ask her that. Or anything remotely like that. Or even speak to her.

She'd been subconsciously preparing herself for either a speech about not hurting her or just not speaking to her at all.

Or ignoring what had happened and putting it down to the whole it-was-for-the-mission thing.

Or leaving.

Actually, Felicity was expecting Oliver to do a lot of things right now that have absolutely nothing to do with asking her out.

She feels a bit stunned.

"What?"

Oliver looks vaguely uncomfortable with her incredulity.

"Do you want to get out of here? Maybe go get some dinner or something? Just you and me?"

Felicity continues staring at Oliver as if he'd lost his head.

She then realizes that she should probably answer him before he takes back his offer.

Because he will.

Because he's Oliver and Oliver tends to overthink things.

Especially things like asking her out _after_ they'd pretended to be a couple for three weeks.

"Yes! Yes, I would like that. A lot." Felicity exclaims just as his brow starts to furrow and Felicity can see him rethinking what he'd just asked.

Oliver looks a little stunned for a moment before his mouth curls into a tentative smile.

Felicity smiles back at him, just as tentatively.

"Okay. Let me go and get changed and we'll go."

She nods and Oliver turns to go and get out of his work out clothes.

Felicity watches him go and wonders what the hell is going on.

Of all the things she expected him to do after making out with him in a tent, asking her out was _not_ one of them.

At all.

Then again, he had said that the last few weeks hadn't been easy on his either.

So, maybe, this whole getting trapped in a tent thing was a good thing?

Maybe.

As long as she doesn't have to go through it again, Felicity feels like she'll be able to look back one day and be grateful they'd been trapped in a tent.

One day that's a very, very, very long time away.

Because, even though Oliver's asked her out and this might the most backward way of starting a potential relationship, Felicity doesn't think she'll be able to go near a tent any time soon.

Or children.

Or Roy.

Because Roy is most definitely never going to let them forget this.

Ever.

* * *

A/N: I hope you enjoyed! Taking the time to leave a review would make any authors day!


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